Method of and apparatus for giving audible time signals



J. W. WELLS Nov. 28, 1933;

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ervme AUDIBLETIME SIGNALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 11, 1952 a 1 1% L ww mm m 9w i 5 MN Nm w hm. mm .n\\ R!\ v Qm ATTORNEY Now-28, 1933. J. w. WELLS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GIVINGAUDIBLE TIME SIGNALS Filed April 11, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEY J. w. WELLS 1,936,700- METHbD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GIVINGAUDIBLE TIME SIGNALS I Nov. 28, 1933.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 3 m w mm 1 $1 m r o m m M II L 6 r A w |\|V. F N, N wM N I m mw .w 1 '3 m Q R N d u 4 1! 9w R j lla I jm R 3 I N m m Nov. 28,1933. J"w WELLS 1,936,700

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GIVING AUDIBLE TIME SIGNAL-S Filed April 11,1932 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR cf. WW4? as BY Q .um

ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1933. w WELLS 1,936,700

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GIVING AUDIBLE THEE SIGNALS Filed April 11,1932 "5 Sheets-Sheet 5 31 INVENTOR j If): Q]. 14/. We as Patented Nov.1933 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GIVING AUDIBLE TIMESIGNALS John w. was. Stockton, Calif;

Application April 11, 1932. Serial No. 604,499

,1: Claims- (Cl. 179- This invention relates to the giving of timesignals to telephone subscribers. This is a. form of service which isnow commonly rendered by practors has been assigned the task of doingnothingbut giving out the time. This is an extremely monotonousoccupation and yet one which requires constant alertness and a watchingof the clock and repeatedly intoning the time to those who ask for it.This system is obviously-a source of considerable expense to thetelephone companies from which no revenue is derived. Also. as in everycase where thehuman element controls, the chances for making errors inreading and giving out of the time are present. The principal object ofmy invention is to eliminate the chance of error and the cost ofoperation to a great degree by providing an automatic time signal givingapparatus. This apparatus is so arranged that accurate time will begiven to any telephone subscriber at any time of the day or night uponthe proper number being dialed or the request being made to the exchangeoperator without any manual attention other than an occasionaljnspectionbeing necessary to insure the continued and proper functioning of theapparatus. Once the apparatus is installed and in operation the onlyexpense for upkeep is the relatively negligible amount necessary tosupply the current for operating the motor, master clock and soundtranscribing and amplifying units as will be evident from a perusal ofthe following description. F?

It is to be understood that the time signals as given are heard asspoken language, just as the human operators give them, and are not tobe confused with relatively unintelligible signals by means of a buzzeror strokes of a gong, such as are sometimes given over the radio or onshipboard.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims:

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the main unit of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is'a-longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,foreshortened in the center;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan (in the line 3-3' of Fig. l similarlyforeshortened.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the unit partly broken out;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the exciting lamp housing showing theshutter.

.Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic face view of the master g0 controlling clockand the contact and electrical features arranged therewith.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary radial section of the clock and contact disk.

Fig. 8 is a diagram of the electric circuit of the 5 sound reproducingunit of the apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral 1 denotes the end and intermediate framesupstanding from a base 2. J ournaled in and extending betweencorresponding pairs of the frames are transversely separated pairs ofshafts 3 and 4,

the shafts of each pair being longitudinally alined with each other.Separate and spaced pairs of film engaging sprockets 5 and 6 are fixedon the 7g shafts 3 and 4 respectively, said sprockets engagingtheusualedge holes in separate endless films '1 ands. The films depend from. thesprockets, the portion below being loosely received ina tray or box 9 orretained in any other way which may gm seem. desirable.

Each film has rows of closely spaced sound track 10 recorded thereoninthe customary man-' ner, these rows being disposed transverselyinstead of lengthwise of the film as is usually the 35 case andextending practically the full width between the sprocket engagingholes. Each row or line of track on the film 7, when reproduced, giveshours and minutes while the sound tracks on the film 8 give seconds. Thetracks on the 9g film 7 giving the time at one minute intervals thereare therefore sixty such rows or tracks for each hour and a total of 720in the entire length of the film. Double the number of rows is of coursenecessary if the designation am. or pm. 5 is used after each timesignal. The sound track on the film 8 on the other hand only gives thetime at five, ten or fifteen seconds apart for instance as may bedecided to be the most suitable. It is of course to be understood thatwhat- 1% ever the number of tracks there may be on each film such numberis divided evenly into the entire length of the film so that the samemay be turned in one direction continuously without any excessive spacesbetween any adjacent pair of sound tracksbeing had.

The films are disposed between rigid opposed plates 11 which are closeenough to the film to prevent the same buckling; but without preventingsliding of the film. The upper plate 11 exlid tends over the filmsupporting sprockets so that the teeth are held in positive contactwith-the film notches preventing any possible lost motion between thefilm and sprockets. Both plates have vertically alined slots 12: cuttherethrough substantially the width and length of the sound tracks andparallel thereto.

A casing for an exciting lamp 14 is disposed immediately over the upperplatewith an opening 15 in its under side alined with the slot 12. Ahousing 16 depends from the lower plate in vertical alinement with thehousing 13 and having a top slit or opening 17 alined with the opening15. The housing 16 carries a photoelectric cell or tube 18 of standardcharacter. The housings are connected together so as to form a rigidunit capable of movement along the slot 12 by means of a horizontalforked arm or bar member 19. This is of sufiicient length to enable thehousings to travel the full width of both films without the connectedend of the arm member contacting with any part. ported from above andbelow the film and plates by fixed rods 20 supported from the frames 1and engaged by bosses 21 mounted in connection with said arm member.

The arm member and housings are reciprocated a distance sufficient tomove the housing openings beyond the opposed-sprockets 5 and 6 somedistance, by an endless chain 22 positioned under the housing 16 andpassing about suitably positioned sprocket wheels 23 journaled onvertical axes in connection with the base 2. One sprocket wheel has 2.depending shaft 24 which is driven by a constant speed electric motor25. One link of the chain has a roller 26 or similar element projectingupwardly at the pin of the link and engaging a transversely groovedblock 2'? fixed in connection with the member 19. A cross head type ofdrive between the chain and the member 19 is therefore provided. Thechain is driven at such a speed that the housings travel at the rate ofapproximately ninety feet per minuteor at the same speed used in theforming of the sound track on the film.

The leads 28 from the tube 18 are connected to a sound reproducing andsound amplifying apparatus such as is commonly used in talking picturework and the like, and indicated by its enclosure 29. A loud speaker 30is a part of such apparatus and it is disposed in facing relation to thetransmitter 31 of an ordinary telephone line 32. As the photoelectrictube moves along the sound track the time, whatever it may be asindicated bycsaid track, will be announced as spoken language throughthe speaker 30 and will be heard by anyone listening at the receiver 32of the telephone line and connected to the transmitter 31.

It will of course be obvious that if the tube re produced sounds fromthe track during its retractive movement such sounds would be backwardsand would make no sense. The opening 15 of the exciting lamp housing istherefore closed during the retractive movement of the housings in thefollowing manner.

The bottom of the housing 13 is provided with a pivoted shutter 34adapted to uncover or cover the opening, and held in either position bya snap action spring 35. This spring is connected to a vertical pin 36projecting upwardly from an arm 3'7 rigid with the shutter. When thehousing is moved to the right or in the desired sound reproducingdirection, the shutter is open and the arm 37 slopes to the right of thepivot pin 38 of the spring then pulls the shutter to a closed posi- Saidmember is 'sup-,

shutter, or in thedirection in which the unit is moving. As the opening15 reaches the right hand end of the sound track of the film 8 (which iswhen the roller 26 is just beginning to make the turn about the adjacentsprocket wheel 23) the pin 36 engages a stop member 39 fixed inconnection with the adjacent frame 1. This stop with a further movementof the housings throws the shutter arm over so that the snap actiontion. No light will then penetrate to the photo electric tube with thereturn movement of the unit.

As the housing 13 reaches a corresponding position at the opposite end'of its stroke the pin 36 engages another stop 40 which again pushes theshutter arm so that the shutter is snapped back to an open positionready for the next sound reproducing stroke of the unit. This shutterstructure may of course be mounted in connection with the housing 16instead of the housing 13 if desired.

Each time signal will be given various times according to the length oftime necessary for the tube to make a complete stroke. Since the film 7designates hours and minutes only, each track thereon will remainstationary for,the full duration of a minute, and the signal will begiven or announced as many times during that minute as the reciprocatingunit makes complete strokes. The film 8 on the other handdesignatingseconds, said film remains stationary for ten or fifteen seconds, orwhatever ones may be chosen to be announced, as a change for everysecond is not necessary and is hardly practical.

A longitudinal movement of the'films to shift the sound tracks relativeto the slot 12 according to the lapse of time is automaticallycontrolled in the following manner:

41, denotes a clock preferably of the electrically controlled typehaving minute and second hands 42 and 43 respectively, the mechanism ofthe clock being of that type arranged to cause the minute hand to jumpfrom one minute to I the next instead of progressing slowly and steadilyas is usually the case. The minute hand has an extension 44 forming acontact arm while the second hand has a similar extension 45 alsoforming a contact arm. Mounted in concentric relation with the clock isan insulation disk 46 having a circular row of contacts 47 to be engagedby the minute contact arm 44 and another row of contacts 48 to beengaged by the seconds contact arm 45. The contacts 47 are spaced apartcorresponding to the arc of a minute but are disposed between the minutemarks on the clock. The contacts 48 may be in alinement with the secondsmarks and are spaced apart whatever number of seconds may be desired.The contacts 47 are all connected by suitable circuit leads to anelectromagnet 49 while the contacts 48 are similarly connected toanother separate magnet 50, each magnet actuating a spring catch 51.

Fixed on the ends of the shafts 3 and 4 are ratchet wheels 52 eachcorresponding pair of which is engaged on the bottom and arranged to berotated by tangentially disposed spring pawls 53 mounted on the oppositeends of a horizontal bar 54 slidable in bearings 55 on the adjacentPivotally mounted on the base 2 to overhang the path of movement of pins58 depending from the chain 22 at spaced intervals are pivoted arms 59,connected by suitable linkage so to the respective barsfi. The arm andlink of each bar are so arranged relativethereto that when the latter isin the above recited retracted position the corresponding arm 59projects into the path of the pins 58. The arm are positioned on thereturn side oi the chain so as to be engaged and moved by either one or"the pins during the retractive movement of the photoelectric tubesupporting structure. As a pin engages one of the arms 59 it moves thesame out of its path and in so doing of course rotates it. This rotationby reason of the connected linkage will impart longitudinal movement tothe corresponding bar 54. causing the ratchet wheels to be rotated an.arcuate distance equal to the space between adjacent teeth. This spacingis such as to be suflcient to move the film lengthwise so that one soundtrack is moved clear of the slot 12 and the next one alined therewith.

The magnet being normally de-energized its catch 51 engages the collar57 at the termination of the advancing movement of the pawls and ratchetwheels, thus holding the spring so from action and retaining the arm 59out of the path of the chain pins. The action of both bars 54.- andtheir associated parts is the same so that oath films remain stationaryregardless of the various reciprocating strokes of the tube supportingstructure until with the movement of the contact arms of the minute orseconds hands over the corresponding fixed contact points, thecorresponding magnets are energized and the catches'ol pulled clear ofthe collars 57.

The springs 56 are than free to function to retract the pawl bars whichagain causes the arms 59 to be moved into the path of the pins 58 readyfor a subsequent rapid advancing movement. The magnets beingonlyenergized for a very short period the catches are free to againengage the bar collars when the bars are pulled along by the engagementof the pins 58 with the arms 59.

The sound track on the films is of course initially positioned so as tobe synchronized with the actual time as indicated by the clock. In

operation therefore as the tube supporting unit moves in one direction aspoken time signal such as Ten twenty-five and fifteen seconds will berepeated 9. number of times, followed by "Ten twenty-five and thirtyseconds a corresponding number of times as the seconds recording film isadvanced; these annunciations being followed in due turn by Tentwenty-six, etc." as the minute recording film is advanced. Thereproduoing unit reciprocates at such a speed that even if ,a change inthe position of the film is not made at the exact second on account ofthe wrong position of the chain pins relative to the arms 59 at thattime, the time as announced will be accurate to within a very fewseconds.

I claim: i

1. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having a soundtrack thereon indicating a certain time in words, a photoelectric tube,an exciting lamp for the tube, said tube and lamp being disposed withthe film therebetween, means connecting said tube and lamp to, form aunit rigid whilepermitting movement and means for constantlyreciprocating the unit through a stroke not less than the length of thetrack.

2. A structure as in claim 1, with means functioning automatically toprevent the passage oi light rays between the lamp and tube with thetravel of the unitin one direction.

3. A structure as in claim 1, with housings in which said lamp and tubeare enclosed, the adjacent faces of the housings having openings aliningwith the track, a shutter for one of said openings mounted on thecorresponding housing, and means functioning with the reciprocatingmovement of the unit to move the shutter to a closed position with thearrival of the unit at one end of its stroke and to reopen the shutteras the unit reaches the opposite end of its stroke.

4. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having aplurality of sound tracks thereon each indicating 'a difierent time andextending in parallel relationship transversely of the iilrn, aphotoelectric tube, an exciting lamp therefor, said lamp andtube beingdisposed in opposed relation with the film therebetween, meansconnecting the light and tube together to form a. rigid unit whilepermitting movement of the same the full length of any track, meansllll'i mounting the unit for movement parallel to the in parallelrelationship transversely of the film,

a photoelectric tube, an exciting lamp therefor, said lamp and tubebeing disposed in opposed relation with the film thcrebetweon, meansconnecting the light and tube together to form a rigid unit whilepermitting movement'of the same the full length of any track, meansmounting the unit for movement parallel to the track, means forreciprocating the unit through a stroke of predetermined length,sprocket wheels on which the film is mounted, a ratchet wheel mounted inaxial connection with one of said wheels, a pawl engaging said ratchetwheel and movable tangentially thereof to rotate said wheel apredetermined amount, a member mounted on the unit reciprocating means,an element engageable and movable by said member when the unit is in apredetermined position, connections between said element and pawlarranged so that the element will be positioned in the path of themember when the pawl is in a retracted position, and clock controlledmeans preventing retractive movement of the pawl once it has beenadvanced until a period of time corresponding to that indicated byadjacent sound tracks has elapsed.

6. A time announcing apparatus including a. film having a plurality ofsound tracks thereon each indicating a diiferent time and extending inparallel relationship transversely of the film, a photoelectric tube,an'exciting lamp therefor, said lamp and tube being disposed in opposedrelation with the film therebet-ween, means connecting the light andtube together to form a rigid unit while permitting movement of the samethe full length of any track, means mounting the unit for movementparallel to the track, means for reciprocating the unit through a strokeof predetermined length, sprocket wheels on which llll the film ismoimted, a ratchet wheel mounted in axial connection with one of saidwheels, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel and movable tangentiallythereof to rotate said wheel a predetermined amount, means to move thepawl in a wheel rotating and film advancing direction with the movementof the unit in a retractive direction, spring means tending to move thepawl in a retractive direction, a catch normally preventing the springfrom functioning, and clockmovement controlled means to release thecatch at successive,periods of time corresponding to those indicated bythe sound tracks.

7. A structure as in claim 6, in which said last named means comprises aclock having a timeindicating hand, a contact-extension fixed with saidhand, stationary contacts disposed in the path of movement of saidextension and spaced circumferentially of the clock a distance equal tothe difference in time indicated by adjacent sound tracks, anelectromagnet to release the catch, and a circuit in which saidextension contacts and magnet are interposed.

8. A time announcing apparatus including'a pair of films'arranged intransversely alined and .parallel relationship, spaced sound tracks onone and across both films, a circuit with which the tube is electricallyconnected, means to reciprocate the unit across the films,clock-movement controlled means to advance the first named filmlengthwise a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sound tracksthereon once every minute, and clock-movement controlled means toadvance the other film a similar distance once with the passage of anumber of seconds equal to that indicated by adjacent sound tracks onsaid other film.

9. In a time announcing apparatus, a pair of endless films arranged intransversely alined and adjacent relationship, spaced sound tracks onthe films extending transversely thereof, a photo-elecacross both films,means to reciprocate the unit along said path, and separate timecontrolled devices to separately and intermittently advance the films adistance equal to the spacing between ad-' jacent sound tracks.

10. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having spacedsound tracks thereon extending transversely oi. the film, aphoto-electric tube and light unit, means mounting said unit formovement parallel to the film and track, an endless chain both runs ofwhich are parallel to and the same distance from the film, sprocketwheels on which the chain is mounted spaced apart a distance greaterthan the length of the film track, means for driving one sprocket, anelement on the chain, and a guide block fixed onthe unit and extendingtransversely of the chain in which said element is slidably guided.

11. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having spacedsound tracks thereon extending transversely of the film, aphoto-electric tube and light unit, means mounting said unit formovement parallel to the film and track, an endless driven chain, and adriving connection between the chain and unit to reciprocate the latterof the chain in one direction.

'12. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having spacedsound tracks thereon extending transversely of the film, aphoto-electric tube and light-unit, means mounting said unit formovement parallel to the film and track, an endless driven chain, adriving connection between the chain and unit-to reciprocate the latteralong and beyond one end oi the track, a film advancing mechanismincluding a pivoted lever whose movement in one direction causes thefilm to be advanced, and a pin projecting from the chain to engage oneend of the lever to thus move the same with'the movement of the chain;said pin being so positioned on the chain relative to the position ofsaid driving connection as to cause the lever to be moved during onestroke of the unit.

13. A time announcing apparatus including an endless film having spacedsound tracks thereon extending transversely of the film, aphoto-electrio tube and light unit, means mounting said unit formovement parallel to the film and track, an

endless driven chain, a driving connection between ment in one directioncauses the film to be advanced, and a pin projecting from the chain toengage one end of the lever to thus move the same with the movement ofthe chain; and clock-movement controlled means to hold said end of thelever out of the path of the pin until the unit has been reciprocated apredetermined number of times.

14. An announcing apparatus including a pair of films arranged intransversely alined and adjacent relationship and having transverselyextending sound tracks thereon, a photo-electric tube and light unitmovable in a fixed path across both films, and means to reciprocate saidunit along said path with a stroke greater than the combined width ofthe films.

15. An announcing apparatus including an endless film havingtransversely extending photographic traces thereon, spaced rollers aboutwhich said film passes, and means for scanning said traces including aphoto-electric tube on one side of the film in a position between therollers, a trio tube and light unit movable in a fixed path light forsaid tube disposed in cooperating relation therewith but on the oppositeside of the film, a frame connecting the tube and light together to forma rigid unit while permitting movement of the tube and light along apath the full width of the film, and means applied to the frame toreciprocate the same along said path.

16. An announcing apparatus including an endless film havingtransversely extending photographic traces thereon, a'photo-electrictube and light unit mounted for movement transversely of the film suchtraces, means for reciprocating the unit, and means preventing thepassage of light to the tube during the movement of the same in onedirection.

1'7. An announcing apparatus including an endless film havingtransversely extending photographic traces thereon, a photo-electrictube and light unit mounted for movement transversely of the film toscan such traces, means for reciprocating the unit, a shutter for thelight disposed between the light and tube, means to open the shutter atthe beginning or each alternate stroke of the unit, and means to closethe shutter at the end of each such stroke.

JOHN W. WELLS.

